Remote Sensing based mapping and modelling of potential avalanche zones in Draupadi ka Danda, Garhwal Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India

Snow avalanches are one of the principal glacial threats, which are limited to high snow-covered alpine terrain. Mapping of Avalanche hazard and its modeling are useful in minimizing the fall risk. The current study assesses the utility of satellite imagery and GIS-based analytical hierarchical process (AHP) for mapping of possible avalanche locations for Draupadi ka Danda peak in Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand. Various protruding terrain factors such as elevation, aspect, slope, curvature and land use land cover are used in this model and are derived from ALOS PALSAR DEM and Sentinel-2 images. Sensitivity analysis was performed on the chosen parameters and maximum weightage was set to slope, trailed by elevation, aspect, curvature and land use land cover. Using weighted overlay in ArcGIS avalanche susceptibility maps are formulated and distributed into five zones i.e. very low, low, moderate, high and very high zones and their validation was done by the listed avalanche occasions. Consecutively, Rapid Mass Movement Simulation (RAMMS) which is a three dimensional numerical model is used which generates parameters such as flow distance, height, velocity, pressure and momentum. The model requires a DEM of high resolution, release area of avalanche, friction parameter and was executed on the very high and high zones of avalanche susceptibility map.